FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A corner joint of a construction frame comprising several extruded and mitered construction profiles joint to one another. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the construction industry, light and natural light in particular are becoming more and more important. With increased natural light demands, window surfaces are increasing accordingly and window frame requirements become more and more stringent in terms of insulation and at least evenly important strength to allow supporting larger and heavier (high insulation) window panes. Window frames, both the fixed frame and the aisle are due to their geometry structurally weak when not supported in a wall, or, respectively containing a glass pane. Especially for frames with large dimensions, maneuverability is considered problematic, not only due to the large dimensions but also due to the structural instability of a frame. In order to solve the above problem, it is known to assemble frames at a construction site rather than in a controlled environment at a window manufacturer. Yet assembling window frames requires precise work to ensure that the profiles are properly connected to ensure water and air tight corner joints and the required strength to withstand glass loads and wind loads over extended periods of time (decades).

Apart from the above 'minimum' requirement in terms of air- and wind-tightness and strength, there are clearly also stringent aesthetic requirements such as non-visibility of reinforcement profiles once the frames are installed and good quality finishes of the visible window frame sidewalls (lacquer).

Especially the quality of the window finishes can be at risk when assembling frames at a construction site, in particular for polymer based (PVC-based) window profiles that have finishes that are chemically reactive to silicones used to ensure water and air tightness of the corner joints of window frames.

From the above it is clear that there remains a market need for corner joints for construction frames intended for assembly at a construction site rather than in a controlled environment at a window manufacturer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above market needs and provides for a corner joint of a construction frame comprising several extruded and mitered construction profiles joint to one another, the corner joint comprising: (a) two extruded construction profiles each having at least one mitered end surface, both extruded profiles contacting one another along said mitered end surfaces thereby defining a corner between both extruded profiles, each profile comprising four longitudinal side walls, in particular:

^" two lateral side walls extending parallel to a plane of the corner and joining the corresponding lateral side surface the joined extruded profile,

^" one inner side wall, defining an outwardly facing inner profile surface extending under an angle □ <

180° with a corresponding outwardly facing inner profile surface of the joined extruded profile, the inner side walls of both joined extruded profiles defining an inner corner line along their joined mitered end surfaces, and

" one outer side wall, defining an outwardly facing outer profile surface extending under an angle □ >

180° with a corresponding outwardly facing outer side surface of the joined extruded profile, the outer side walls of the joined extruded profiles defining an outer corner line along their joined mitered end surfaces,

^" wherein, the inner and outer side walls defining a depth D of the construction frame, and wherein each extruded profile having an inner cavity defined by the above four side walls;

(b) two inserts each introduced in the inner cavity of one of the joined extruded profiles, each insert comprising a mitered contact surface extending substantially in the same plane as the mitered end surfaces of the joined extruded profiles, the mitered contact surfaces of both inserts contacting one another when the extruded profiles are joined,

wherein the joined inserts comprise a first contact surface and a second contact surface, both the first and second contact surface contacting an inwardly facing outer profile surface section of the joined extruded profiles in proximity of the outer corner line, the first and second contact surfaces extending along the entire length of the outer corner line within the limits of the inner cavity of the joined extruded profiles, wherein the joined inserts comprise at least one liquid channel having an inlet and and at least one outlet distant from the inlet, the outlet situated along the outer corner line of the joined extruded profiles, and wherein said liquid channel is filled with an adhesive material unto a level wherein adhesive exits from the outlet thereby creating a barrier against water migration inside the joined extruded profiles along the outer corner line. The present invention further also provides for a method of establishing a corner joint as defined above, comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting the first insert in a cavity of first extruded mitered profile and fastening of the first insert in said first extruded profile;

(b) inserting the second insert in a cavity of the second extruded mitered profile and fastening of the second insert in said second extruded profile; (c) rigidly joining a first and second insert to establish an insert corner, the joined inserts comprising at least one liquid channel having an inlet and and at least one outlet distant from the inlet, the outlet situated along the outer corner line of the joined extruded profiles; and thereby establishing a corner joint between the first and second extruded profiles;

(d) inserting a liquid adhesive in the inlet of the liquid channel until said adhesive reaches the outlet of said liquid channel, thereby creating a barrier against water migration inside the joined extruded profiles along the outer corner line.

DETAILED SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment of a corner joint of the present invention, the liquid channel comprises a control point visible from the outside of the corner joint, said control point situated in said liquid channel at a position downstream the outlet when introducing a liquid in the liquid channel inlet.

In a preferred embodiment, the joined inserts comprise two adhesion sections each defined by a base surface extending parallel to and distant from one of the lateral side walls of the joined extruded profiles and an upstanding rim provided at the perimeter of the base surface and contacting inwardly facing surfaces of the lateral side walls of the joined profiles, thereby defining a adhesive cavity between the base surface, upstanding rim and inwardly facing side surfaces of the corresponding lateral side walls of both extruded profiles, wherein said adhesive cavity is filled with a adhesive thereby rigidly joining both extruded profiles to the joined inserts and to one another. In this embodiment, an inlet hole and control point may be made in one of the upstanding rims or base surfaces of each adhesion section, wherein the corresponding adhesive cavities are filled with adhesive up to a level wherein adhesive is visible at the control point.

The outer side wall of the joined extruded profiles is preferably provided with one or more cut-out sections in the proximity of the corner joint, whereby the inlet of the at least one liquid channel is positioned in the one or more cut-out sections, such that the inlet of the liquid channel is accessible from outside the joined extruded profiles; and/or whereby the inlet holes to the adhesion sections and the control point are positioned in the one or more cut-out sections, such that the inlet hole is accessible from outside the joined extruded profiles and the control point is visible from the outside of the joined extruded profiles.

In a preferred embodiment, both inserts are joined to one another by a fastening member, such as a screw or bolt, exerting a tightening force in a direction perpendicular to the mitered contact surfaces of the joined inserts. The inserts are preferably coupled to the extruded profiles by means of a snap fit connection preventing the inserts to be slid out of their corresponding extruded profiles.

The extruded profiles are preferably manufactured in a polymer material such as polyvinyl chloride or derivates thereof, or in a metal material such as aluminum. The inserts are preferably made in a polymer material, in particular an injection molded polymer material. The corner joint according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive is a lK-polyurethane or a 2K-polyurethane.

BRI EF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a corner joint in accordance with the present invention;

FIG 2 shows a same perspective view of the corner joint as FIG 1, wherein part of the materials is made transparent;

FIG 3 shows a partially exploded, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of inserts of the corner joint of FIG 1;

FIG 4 shows an assem bly step of a preferred embodiment of a corner joint of the present invention;

FIG 5 shows another assembly step of a preferred embodiment of a corner joint of the present invention.

DETAI LED DESCRI PTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG 1. illustrates a portion of a construction frame having a corner joint according to the present invention. In this case, the corner joint 1 is established between two polymer extruded profiles 2, 3, such as polyvinyl chloride based construction profiles. Yet, the present invention is equally applicable for metal profiles such as aluminum extruded profiles. Each extruded profile 2, 3 comprises four longitudinal side walls, in particular: (a) two lateral side walls 4, 5 extending parallel to a plane of the corner and joining the corresponding lateral side surface the joined extruded profile, (b) one inner side wall 6 (inside of the corner joint), defining an outwardly facing inner profile surface extending under an angle □ < 180° with a corresponding outwardly facing inner profile surface 7 of the joined extruded profile, (c) one outer side wall

8, defining an outwardly facing outer profile surface 9 extending under an angle □ > 180° with a corresponding outwardly facing outer side surface of the joined extruded profile, the outer side walls of the joined extruded profiles defining an outer corner line 10. The inner and outer side walls 6, 8, defining a depth D of the construction frame and each extruded profile having an inner cavity 11 defined by the above four side walls.

In accordance with the invention, the joined extruded profiles 2, 3 have mitered end surfaces 12 (FIG 4) along which these profiles contact one another. The inner side walls 6 of both joined extruded profiles defining an inner corner line along their joined mitered end surfaces, and he outer side walls of the joined extruded profiles defining the outer corner line 10.

It is noted that the side walls mentioned above are defined as extending in a plane in the longitudinal direction of the extruded profiles and are defined irrespective of potential functional features provided on or along each of the side walls such as glass beads, rims or wall portions defining locking mechanism guides, anchors for attaching the profiles in walls etc.. Such functional features are typically provided on the inner and outer side walls of the extruded profiles, whilst the lateral side walls typically are free of such features and covered with a finish such as paint or lacquer as the lateral side surfaces remain visible after installation of the construction frame in an architectural opening.

According to the invention and as shown in FIG 2 and 3, the corner joint comprises inserts 13, 14 that are introduced in the inner cavities of the extruded profiles. The inserts 13 and 14 are an auxiliary piece that serves to strengthen the corner joint and to allow rendering the corner joint air and water tight.

In this case both inserts 13 and 14 are slightly different in construction, yet they both comprise a central bridge member 15, respectively 16 flanked at both sides with an aisle 18, respectively 19, one at each side of each bridge member 15, 16. The bridge members 15, 16 of each insert are provided with two protruding snap-fit portions 20 (only the snap-fit portions of insert 14 are visible in the figures) configured to cooperate with corresponding snap-fit holes 21 (FIG 1) in the extruded profiles 2 and 3. Both inserts 13 and 14 comprise a mitered contact surface 22, 23, along which the inserts are joined together, the mitered contact surfaces extending in substantially the same plane as the mitered end surfaces of the extruded profiles when the corner joint is assembled. In this case, the bridge element of the insert 22 drawn on the lower side in FIG 3 and on the left-hand side in FIG 4 defines a first contact surface 24 and a second contact surface 25, separated from one another by an insert corner line 26. In an assembled state of the corner joint, the first and second contact surface 24, 25 contact or nearly contact an inwardly facing surface 8' of the outer side walls of the joined extruded profiles in the proximity of the corner line 10 and these first and second contact surfaces 24, 25 extend over the entire length of the outer corner line within the limits of the inner cavity of the joined extruded profiles. As shown in FIG 2, FIG 3, FIG 4 and FIG 5, an orifice 27 is provided in the insert corner line 26. This orifice 27 is part, more precisely an outlet of a liquid line (indicated as zone 2 in FIG 5) with an inlet 28 that in this case is provided in one of the snap-fit portions 20 of the inserts' bridge 16 (thus from the other insert than the one provided with the first and second contact surfaces). The liquid line (zone 2) is as such defined between both inserts 13 and 14, in particular between the bridge members 15 and 16 of the inserts 13 and 14. As in the depicted embodiment of a corner joint of the invention, it is preferred that the liquid line comprises a control point, in this case a secondary outlet 29 provided in this case provided in the snap-fit portion next to the one defining the inlet 28 of the liquid line, which control point 29 is located downstream of the outlet (orifice) 27 provided at the insert corner line. This allows introduction of a adhesive (cf FIG 5, zone 2) in the liquid line through the inlet up to a level wherein adhesive exits from or is visible at the control point (which is not necessarily an outlet but could be a transparent section of the insert), thereby ensuring that adhesive has exited the orifice 27 at the insert corner line such that in an assembled state of the corner joint, water entering the outer corner line through capillarity is blocked from traveling from one lateral side of the profiles to another, thereby ensuring water tightness of the frame at its corners, even though the side walls of the profiles are not glued or welded together at the outer corner line.

The aisles 18 and 19 of both inserts 13 and 14 are designed to cooperate such as to provide two adhesion sections (one facing an inwardly facing surface of each lateral side wall) each defined by a base surface 30 extending parallel to and distant from one of the lateral side walls 4, respectively 5 of the joined extruded profiles and an upstanding rim 31 provided at the perimeter of the base surface 30 and contacting inwardly facing surfaces of the lateral side walls 4, respectively 5 of the joined profiles, thereby defining a adhesive cavity (FIG 5, zones 1, respectively 3) between the base surface 30 , upstanding rim 31 and inwardly facing side surfaces of the corresponding lateral side walls 4, respectively 5 of both extruded profiles, wherein said adhesive cavity is filled with a adhesive thereby rigidly joining both extruded profiles to the joined inserts and to one another.lt is preferred that an inlet hole 32 and control point (eg. an orifice) 33 are made in one of the upstanding rims 31 or base surfaces 30 of each adhesion section, wherein the corresponding adhesive cavities (zones 1 and 3) are filled with adhesive up to a level wherein adhesive is visible at the control point 33, thereby ensuring that the adhesive cavity is sufficiently filled with adhesive to provide a rigid and strong connection between the inserts on the one hand and the extruded profiles on the other hand. As the adhesive cavities are preferably designed to provide for a large contact surface with both inserts and a lateral wall of both joined extruded profiles a sufficiently strong corner joint can be achieved. Besides sealing, it is clear that the adhesive also seals the contact surface between both extruded profiles along the mitered end surfaces. In order to lock both profiles and the corresponding inserts together before applying the adhesive, it is preferred that the aisles of the inserts comprise slots 34 for a fastening member such as a bolt 35 and nut , for connecting both inserts, which bolt preferably extends in a direction perpendicular to the mitered end surfaces, thereby exerting a tightening force in a direction perpendicular to the mitered contact surfaces of the joined inserts. Finally it noted that the extruded profiles comprise, in their outer side walls one or more cut-out sections in the proximity of the corner joint and wherein the inlet 28 of the at least one liquid channel (zone 2) is positioned in the one or more cut-out sections, such that the inlet 28 of the liquid channel is accessible from outside the joined extruded profiles. Similarly, one or more cut-out sections in the outer side walls of the extruded profiles may provide access to the slots 34 for the bolt 35 and nut and to the inlet 32 and control point 33 of the adhesive cavities (zones 1 and 3). By positioning all adhesive inlets 27, 32 at the outer side-wall portion of the corner joint, spilling of adhesive such as silicone or a IK- or 2K polyurethane on the finished lateral side walls can be prevented, ensuring the quality of the finish and preventing damage thereto.

From the above it is clear that a method of establishing a corner joint according to the present invention comprises the steps of:

(a) inserting the first insert in a cavity of first extruded mitered profile and fastening of the first insert in said first extruded profile;

(b) inserting the second insert in a cavity of the second extruded mitered profile and fastening of the second insert in said second extruded profile;

(c) rigidly joining a first and second insert to establish an insert corner, the joined inserts comprising at least one liquid channel having an inlet and and at least one outlet distant from the inlet, the outlet situated along the outer corner line of the joined extruded profiles; and thereby establishing a corner joint between the first and second extruded profiles;

(d) inserting a liquid adhesive in the inlet of the liquid channel until said adhesive reaches the outlet of said liquid channel, thereby creating a barrier against water migration inside the joined extruded profiles along the outer corner line.

The corner joint according to the present invention is applicable for all construction frames such as fixed door and window frames, window or door aisle frames, sliding door frames or even ornamental frames provided in architectural openings as finish.